Retrofit Rapid Change Toilet Paper Dispenser

ABSTRACT

A retrofit toilet paper dispenser provides a horizontal hook for receiving a toilet paper roll spaced away from an in-wall fixture but attached to the in-wall fixture by a spring-loaded spindle. An anti-rotation arm prevents rotation of the horizontal hook by contacting stationary wall or dispenser structure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 62/418,439 filed Nov. 7, 2016 and hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to toilet paper dispensers and in particular to an apparatus for retrofitting in-wall toilet paper dispensers for rapid toilet paper roll replacement.

A common toilet paper dispenser provides for an “in-wall” design having a ceramic or metal shell that fits into a pocket of the wall to provide a hemi-cylindrical cavity inset into the wall. Cylindrical sockets on opposite sidewalls of the hemi-cylindrical cavity and generally along the axis of cylinder receive outwardly extending stubs of a horizontally oriented spring-loaded spindle extending therebetween. The spindle may be inserted into the center of a toilet paper roll and then snapped into the blind bores to hold the toilet paper partially within the cavity providing an axle allowing for the unspooling of toilet paper as the roll rotates about the spindle.

Despite the near ubiquity of this design, installing toilet paper rolls into this dispenser is frustrating, requiring manipulation of the stubs of a spring-loaded spindle into alignment with corresponding sockets without clear visibility of the stubs or sockets. Failure to fully seat these two elements of the stubs and sockets can cause the toilet paper roll to dislodge unexpectedly and the spring-loaded spindle to propel itself out of the depression, often at a time when the user is at least able to retrieve it and reinstall the toilet paper roll.

It is generally known to provide an alternative “hook” type toilet paper dispenser which presents a generally horizontal bar spaced away from but parallel to the wall. The bar has a retaining flange on one unsupported and cantilevered end allowing a toilet paper roll to be quickly installed by sliding the roll core over this horizontal bar without the need to contend with a spring-loaded spindle or the like. The bar retains the roll for dispensing, while resisting the principal cross-axis forces exerted on the roll during dispensing. The flanged end of the bar restrains the roll against smaller axial forces.

The use of this latter, improved design is limited by the difficulty of replacing in-wall type dispensers for the typical homeowner and installing a new improved dispenser.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a “hook” type dispenser that may be easily retrofitted into existing “in-wall” dispensers as retained by the spring-loaded spindle of those dispensers. Alignment of the hook and proper support in cantilevered fashion is provided by an escutcheon plate that may partially cover the existing in-wall dispenser. An indexing attachment between the escutcheon and the hook element allows proper elevational alignment of the hook element for a variety of different in-wall type dispenser designs.

Specifically, the invention provides a retrofit toilet paper dispenser for use in a wall mounted toilet paper holder of a type receiving a spring-loaded spindle between spindle mounting points opposed across a horizontal spindle axis. The retrofit toilet dispenser includes a spring-loaded spindle assembly releasably engaging the axially-opposed spindle mounting points of the wall mounted toilet paper holder and a side arm supported by the spring-loaded spindle to extend perpendicularly to the spindle axis to a distal end. A toilet paper support bar attaches to the distal end of the side arm to project horizontally therefrom parallel to the spindle axis, the support bar adapted to be received within a toilet paper roll to allow the roll to rotate thereabout.

It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit legacy in-wall dispensers to support larger toilet paper rolls in an orientation that allows an end of the toilet paper roll to extend freely downward without tangling.

The toilet paper support bar may extend in cantilever from the side arm.

It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to improve in-wall dispensers by providing a hook structure that allows replacement of the toilet paper roll without complex compression of the spring-loaded spindle.

The retrofit toilet paper dispenser may further include an anti-rotation arm communicating with the spring-loaded spindle assembly to extend into contact with a structure stationary with respect to the wall mounted toilet paper holder to resist rotation of the side arm about the spindle axis under weight of the toilet paper roll.

It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow support of the dispenser by a conventional spring-loaded spindle without the toilet paper roll pivoting downward to rub against the wall or the like.

The anti-rotation arm may communicate with the spring-loaded spindle through a rotatably adjustable joint allowing an angle of extension of the side arm to be adjusted with respect to an angle of extension of the anti-rotation arm.

It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a system that can work with a wide variety of different types of in-wall fixtures through simple adjustment of the angle between the side arm and anti-rotation arm.

The toilet paper support bar may have a proximal end attached to the side arm and a distal end including a hook portion extending radially with respect to an axis of the toilet paper support bar to resist movement of a toilet paper roll on the toilet paper support bar off of the toilet paper support bar.

It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide the convenience of a hook for holding a toilet paper roll without concern with the toilet paper roll slipping off of the dispenser during use.

These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the principal components of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational cross-section of the invention fully assembled into an existing in-wall toilet paper dispenser with a toilet paper roll in partial fragment;

FIG. 3 is a figure of a second invention providing a removable handle for a bowl;

FIG. 4 is an elevational cross-section of the handle of FIG. 3 installed on the bowl prior to grasping of the handle by a user; and

FIG. 5 is a figure similar to that of FIG. 4 showing the handle configuration when gripped by a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Retrofit Toilet Paper Dispenser

Referring now to FIG. 1, an in-wall toilet paper dispenser 10 may provide for a wall unit 12 providing an outer rectangular flange 14 that may abut an outer surface of the wall 16 about a cavity sized to receive a hemi-cylindrical pocket 18 of the wall unit 12 recessed into the wall 16. The hemi-cylindrical pocket 18 has a diameter slightly larger than that of a typical toilet paper roll and has a horizontal cylinder axis 20 terminating at hemi-circular end walls 22 a and 22 b of the hemi-cylindrical pocket 18 of the wall unit 12. Circular sockets 24 (holes or blind bores) are formed in the end walls 22 a and 22 b aligned with the axis 20.

A spring-loaded spindle 26 may provide telescoping cylindrical tubes 28 a and 28 fitting around a helical compression spring 30, the latter pressing outward on outward end walls 32 of the spring-loaded spindle 26 when the cylindrical tubes 28 a and 28 b are engaged in telescopic fashion and pressed together. The end walls 32 close the outer ends of each of the cylindrical tubes 28 a and 28 b, and on their outer surfaces, provide outwardly extending stubs 34 that may be received within the sockets 24 of the end walls 22 after the spring-loaded spindle 26 is compressed axially inward and inserted into the hemi-cylindrical pocket 18 and released.

Normally, the spring-loaded spindle 26 supports a roll 27 of toilet paper, with the spring-loaded spindle 26 fitting within the open center of that roll of toilet paper. In the present invention, however, the spring-loaded spindle 26 fits within a splined tube 38 having a length substantially equal to the axial length of a toilet paper roll 27 and a diameter suitable for closely receiving the spring-loaded spindle 26. The spring-loaded spindle, when installed in the wall unit 12 within the splined tube 38, retains the splined tube 38 along axis 20 within the hemi-cylindrical pocket. The splined tube 38 has axially extending, radially spaced splined teeth 39 having a periodicity of 3 to 30 degrees.

Extending outward perpendicular to the wall 16 from one end of the splined tube 38 (as so installed in the wall unit 12) is a side arm 40 to which is attached a toilet paper support bar 42 with the support bar 42 generally parallel to the face of the wall 16 but spaced therefrom by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of a typical toilet paper roll 27. The length of the toilet paper support bar 42 is generally equal in length to the splined tube 38 and the length of the core of the toilet paper roll 27. The end of the toilet paper support bar 42 not attached to the side arm 40 provides a radially extending flange 44 that will serve to fit within the core of a toilet paper roll 27 which, after passing over the flange 44, may then drop down to be supported by the paper support bar 42 with the flange 44 retaining the toilet paper roll 27 by abutting an end of the toilet paper roll to prevent it from being removed axially without lifting of the toilet paper roll 27 over the flange 44.

An escutcheon retainer 50 provides a tube 52 substantially equal in length to the splined tube 38 and fits over the splined tube 38. The tube 52 has internal splined teeth 54 engaging the periodic external splined teeth 39 of the splined tube 38 so that the splined tube 38 and escutcheon retainer, once assembled, are rotationally fixed to each other with respect to mutual rotation about axis 20 but can be disassembled and reassembled to change that fixed rotational relationship for adjustment as will be discussed below.

Referring to FIG. 2, the tube 52 has a downwardly extending escutcheon plate 56 which may contact an outer surface of the lower flange 14 of the wall unit 12 to prevent rotation (clockwise as depicted) of the escutcheon retainer plate 56 and hence of the splined tube 38, side arm 40 and the support bar 42 under the weight of the toilet paper roll 27. By adjusting the engagement between the splined tube 38 and the tube 52, relative offsets of the sockets 24 with respect to the flanged 14 may be accommodated for a wide variety of different in-wall units allowing a leveling of the side arm 40.

Each of the components of the above-described apparatus may be constructed of injection molded thermoplastic material providing hygienic and easily cleaned surfaces. Construction allows the direction of the hook formed by the side arm 42 to face either left or right as desired by the user.

Bowl Handle

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a clip-on handle 210 may be attached to a standard mixing bowl 212 or the like, the latter having an upper, radially outwardly extending rim 214. The clip-on handle 210 may include and upper foot 216 and lower foot 217 each having a no-slip rubber face on an inner surface abutting an outer vertical surface of the bowl 212 below the rim 214. The feet 216 and 217 prevent upward sliding along the outer surface of the bowl 212 when the feet 216 and 217 are pressed against the outer surface of the bowl 212.

A loop handle 218 may extend outwardly from the upper foot 216 to curve downward to the lower foot 217 in an arch to provide an opening 220 through which the user's fingers 221 (shown in FIG. 5) may be inserted for lifting the bowl 212. Extending in cantilever downward into the opening 220 is a grip handle 222 attached pivotally at a pivot point 224 in an upper portion of the loop handle 218 so that the grip handle 222 may be pulled back by the user's fingers 221 toward the vertically extending section of the loop handle 218 when the user's fingers 221 are within the opening 220.

The grip handle 222 extends upward past the pivot point 224 through the loop handle 218 and up and over the rim 214 to curve downward into the bowl 212 opposite a midpoint between the upper foot 216 and lower foot 217 to terminate at a grip finger 226.

Referring to FIG. 5, a pulling back of the grip handle 222 in the opening 220 toward the vertical portion of the loop handle 218 thus presses the grip finger 226 tightly against the inside of the bowl 212 pulling the feet 216 and 217 tightly against the outside of the bowl 212 reducing chances of slippage of the handle 210 off of the bowl 212 and allowing the user to lift and manipulate the bowl 212 using the handle 210. The stronger the user's grip, generally related to the weight of the bowl 212, the greater the gripping of the handle 210.

The finger 226 may be silicone coated to grip the bowl 212 and to conform to the bowl's outer surface.

Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “above”, and “below” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front”, “back”, “rear”, “bottom” and “side”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context.

When introducing elements or features of the present disclosure and the exemplary embodiments, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted. It is further to be understood that the method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein and the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims. All of the publications described herein, including patents and non-patent publications, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 

What we claim is:
 1. A retrofit toilet paper dispenser for use in a wall mounted toilet paper holder of a type receiving a spring-loaded spindle for a toilet paper roll between spindle mounting points opposed across a horizontal spindle axis, the retrofit toilet paper dispenser comprising: a spring-loaded spindle assembly releasably engaging the spindle mounting points of the wall mounted toilet paper holder, a side arm supported by the spring-loaded spindle to extend perpendicularly to the spindle axis to a distal end; and a toilet paper support bar attached to the distal end of the side arm to project horizontally therefrom parallel to the spindle axis, the support bar adapted to be received within a toilet paper roll to allow the roll to rotate thereabout.
 2. The retrofit toilet paper dispenser of claim 1 wherein the toilet paper support bar extends in cantilever from the side arm.
 3. The retrofit toilet paper dispenser of claim 1 further including an anti-rotation arm communicating with the spring-loaded spindle assembly to extend into contact with a structure stationary with respect to the wall mounted toilet paper holder to resist rotation of the side arm about the spindle axis under weight of the toilet paper roll.
 4. The retrofit toilet paper dispenser of claim 4 wherein the anti-rotation arm communicates with the spring-loaded spindle through a rotatably adjustable joint allowing an angle of extension of the side arm to be adjusted with respect to an angle of extension of the anti-rotation arm.
 5. The retrofit toilet paper dispenser of claim 1 wherein the toilet paper support bar has a proximal end attached to the side arm and the distal end including a hook portion extending radially with respect to an axis of the toilet paper support bar to resist movement of a toilet paper roll on the toilet paper support bar off of the toilet paper support bar. 